I have a morab and a saddlebred/QH. One (the saddlebred/QH aka Sonny) is an ok jumper and will usually go over the jump. My Morab Buddy isn't so willing. I have no idea if its me or the horse! I do backyard jumping and have never taken lessons for it. I ride with only a halter for my horse doesn't like the bit. He isn't neckreined but I just can't seem to make him go over the jumps I set up! The jumps aren't that wide so I am thinking that is part of the problem but when I jump in the woods for we have 2 fallen logs like perfectly spread apart, he pretty much slows down to a trot and bounces over on his toes. Then when I am thinking he isn't going to jump he does but I would like to know if its anything I am doing specifically. Please help answer!!!!

If he slows to a trot and just pops over them, it sounds like he is unsure of himself. Have you tried pacing about a ground pole before the jump to help him with his stride?

I imagine as you said that you have not had lessons that you are not helping his stride yourself? If so, that's fine, but he sounds like he could do with something, and a ground pole is great for that. But it needs to be the correct distance from the jump.

It is against the forum rules to link to another forum, but if you google ground pole distances before jumps, there is lot of info about it.

If you are not supporting him all the way to the jump and into it, he will be much more inclined to stop or run out, if he hasn't had proper jump training.

It's going to be difficult for you to teach him to jump smoothly without having been taught how yourself. I would make sure that you keep everything very small, and be aware of your body position over the jump. Practice a LOT of two-point and riding without stirrups on the flat to strengthen your core muscles and train your leg to be stable. And when you jump, make sure you do not jump ahead of him, allow him to jump up to meet you.

And be aware that you don't chuck the reins to him a step or two out. That's a common issue for newer jumpers. To the horse that's like saying, "I'm here for you, I'm here for you, I'm here for you...Nevermind. Do it yourself." If your horse is timid, that will make it worse. Just take it slow and steady, and he will gradually improve.

^^i actually i like to teach horses to jump by 'chucking the reins at them' - a few strides out so they know they arent going to be hit in the face over the fence. first you practice going over a pole or set of poles, getting in two point and releasing a couple strides before them. you should still support the canter or trot stride up to the jump or poles with your leg and body.

do you have a friends or know anyone who knows how to jump that could help you ?

Gypsy & Scout<3

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~Albert Einstein

Yes, you don't want to catch them in the mouth, but you should really only do an exaggerated release as they leave the ground, never before. Then you are setting them up for failure by expecting them to figure it out on their own. A horse that is just learning to jump needs help to learn how. And one that learns to run out because there is no rein support going in is very hard to re-train.

One of the first things i would do would be to work him on the ground alot, putting the jumps in his way & getting him confident & bold going over them without you and then start from the saddle with what everone else has said.

"If a horse fails to do something that is because he was not trained to do it. If a horse fails to do something properly that is because he was not trained properly."www.wildestheartart.com

I like to lunge horses that aren't confident over small cavaletti, or if there's a jump in particular they have a problem with.

It's just a matter of him finding his stride, when you're riding, use ground poles, they do wonders for stride control! If you find he's choppy over the poles, or skipping them, make them further apart, if he's stretching, or putting two strides between, pull them in closer. Once you've found his comfortable stride, put a cavaletti in a stride afterwards, and work on that. Once he's comfortable, put another jump in a few strides later.

I find that most jumping problems stem from the rider. An unschooled rider teaching an unschooled horse is a set up for all kinds of problems, IMHO.

It is possible that you are, in some way, interfering with your horse over jumps making him dislike the jumping. Discomfort will only be toerated for a short time before truly resistant behavior becomes the norm.

Please consider taking a couple of lessons on a schooled horse so that you can learn what you must do to give your horse good experiences.

I find that most jumping problems stem from the rider. An unschooled rider teaching an unschooled horse is a set up for all kinds of problems, IMHO.

It is possible that you are, in some way, interfering with your horse over jumps making him dislike the jumping. Discomfort will only be toerated for a short time before truly resistant behavior becomes the norm.

Please consider taking a couple of lessons on a schooled horse so that you can learn what you must do to give your horse good experiences.

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